Air India Express has announced a waiver of cargo charges for the transportation of relief materials to Assam, providing a significant logistics boost to humanitarian operations in flood-affected areas of the state. The initiative enables registered non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and recognised relief agencies to transport essential supplies to Guwahati free of cargo charges through the airline’s domestic network.
The waiver is applicable on Air India Express flights to Guwahati from Delhi, Bengaluru and Kolkata. Eligible consignments include food and dry rations, drinking water, medicines, hygiene and sanitation kits, clothing, blankets, tarpaulins and other humanitarian supplies, subject to regulatory requirements and the airline’s verification, acceptance and carriage policies. Air India Express currently operates six daily flights from Delhi, three daily flights from Bengaluru and two daily flights from Kolkata to Guwahati, ensuring multiple cargo movement options. Relief organisations can coordinate shipments through the airline’s dedicated cargo team, which will assist with documentation, packaging guidelines, shipment acceptance and flight allocation based on operational feasibility and available capacity.
The cargo charge waiver is expected to strengthen Assam’s relief supply chain by reducing transportation costs for aid agencies and accelerating the movement of critical supplies into the state. The decision reflects the aviation sector’s growing role in disaster response while improving connectivity between key metropolitan centres and the Northeast during emergencies.
As the region’s principal logistics hub, Guwahati is likely to witness increased inflow of relief cargo, supporting uninterrupted distribution of essential commodities across flood-hit districts. The initiative could ease pressure on local inventories, improve supply chain efficiency and reinforce the city’s strategic importance in emergency logistics, while benefiting transport and warehousing networks involved in relief operations.
